The 2015 edition of the Rugby World Cup might not only be the most important World Cup in the history of the sport, but the most important result in rugby ever.
The inaugural World Cup was obviously very special. It was one of the first stepping stones to the dawn of professionalism, and it was fitting that the most successful rugby nation in the world were victorious right off the bat.
Better even than that, it was the start of 24 excruciating years of heartache for the New Zealanders. Before taking offence to that let me put my statement in context.
It is not New Zealand failing in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 that makes those years good, it was the rest of the rugby world winning. Australia, South Africa and England equalling the Kiwis in World Cup success made the World Cup ideal. Where the All Blacks dominated in Tests from beginning to end, they were not, and still are not, dominant in rugby’s most hallowed and sacred competition.
Simply put, it was the best outcome for world rugby as a whole, and it added an extra flavour to the Webb Ellis Cup.
The World Cup truly is up for grabs for just about anyone. It is a relatively young competition and the winners so far are split pretty evenly, with no team really able to claim themselves as the dominant force in World Cup history.
Rugby should never become stale and predictable, especially in regards to the results of matches. Sport is much more exciting when you don’t know which way a game will go.
In the past, the southern hemisphere would just stroll past their northern counterparts. The north does not hold a particularly good record against the SANZAR nations in statistical and historical outcomes, but in recent years England, Wales, France, Ireland and Scotland have drawn much closer to Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. There might still be a gap, but now it is within spitting distance, no longer the ever-reaching abyss.
Recent results prove this. The games are closer, the north is winning more often than they ever have. It’s a good thing.
The exception however is New Zealand. The All Blacks have stepped up three gears since 2011, losing only twice since then. They are the best team in the world by some distance, as Wallabies coach Michael Cheika put it just a few weeks ago.
As such, many a rugby fan is becoming annoyed with the game’s hierarchy. It is not good to see the same things happening over and over and over again. This is why some loved it when Samoa beat the Wallabies in 2011, Scotland beat the Boks in 2010, and whenever the French beat the All Blacks.
There is real love for the underdog in rugby, as proven when so many were heartbroken for Ireland when they came oh so close to beating New Zealand in 2013 – something they have never done.
Of course it is not the All Blacks’ fault that they are so successful. Instead, it is the fault of every other nation for not stepping up to the plate. That is the most frustrating aspect of this topic. Every single nation can close the gap on one another, but not against New Zealand. Why?
This is why the 2015 Rugby World Cup is so crucial.
Starting with New Zealand, can they win a World Cup outside the mystical dome of the white cloud? Is home advantage the only thing that can win them the trophy? That is the question that they will be looking to answer. So far they are the only team between the four winners yet to win on foreign soil. Also, both Australia and South Africa managed to win two cups much faster than the Kiwis.
Regardless, it is wise to remember that this team is arguably the greatest ever, and they have had no trouble winning away from home the past four years. It would be foolish to discard them based on history.
But if New Zealand were to achieve their third crown, there would be absolutely no chink left in their black armour, there will be nothing that they haven’t achieved. It cannot be afforded.
England managed to break through the southern stranglehold in 2003 in what was perhaps the north’s greatest moment. They have the home advantage, but do they have the mental strength to defy the odds?
In the same vein, wouldn’t it be moving to see either Ireland or Wales lift the cup? Ireland being crowned champions would be the best result for world rugby, showing that even those who had been called ‘minnows’ have a place in the history books.
For Australia, the Bledisloe might be a big deal, but a World Cup victory would cast a very large shadow on that particular trophy. A win may also help boost rugby union in a country where it is relatively low placed in the pecking order.
South Africa faces change in the coming years. Whether transformation and quotas will strengthen or weaken South African rugby is not the debate here. The truth is that the quota is very real and by 2019 the national government wants to see the results. We don’t know whether it will be successful or not, but regardless, this may be the last World Cup where the Boks take to the field before a sea of change, good or bad, engulfs them.
Can anyone stop the All Blacks from taking that one last good thing that, so far, belongs to everyone? Or will we be forced to witness the coming of yet another dominant era of the black jerseys?
James
Guest
"Every single nation can close the gap on one another, but not against New Zealand. Why?" Because the other countries expend proportionately less resources on rugby in order to compete at a world level in other sports. Rugby is everything in NZ, not the case outside of NZ. Imagine if rugby were no.1 in Australia instead of no.4.. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Disneychilly
Roar Rookie
I do agree with Armand here. Knockout rugby has the romanticism of David and Goliath in a one-off. If the big bad wolf wins all the time in the showpiece event it might not capture the imagination of people that aren't as familiar to the game. New Zealand are the most consistent side in sport. If the WC were a league interest would have faded away a while ago. She's a small country, is Aotearoa, and often punches above her weight as a plucky underdog. But in this game, and this tournament, she is the big bad wolf. Akin to the hordes of Mordor, desperately seeking the one thing that would guarantee dominion over all. And haven't the All Blacks played like world champions once they did finally get that title bestowed upon them again. But for all their imposing statistics, the 75% win ratio means they are odds on to slip up. Winning 3/4 doesn't add up to winning 7 in a row (yes I know you technically need only a three match run but when has a non French team come close to that?). It makes them just another team in the comp, and the 2/7 ratio reflects that. People tend to exaggerate massively about their abilities, calling them unbeatable, raising the question of anyone possibly getting close, and feigning flabbergasted surprise when they are bundled out. But New Zealand are not that far ahead of everyone else and never have been. Look at the results and you'll find cliffhangers, nailbiters and games where a padded cell and a straitjacket should be prescribed to every Kiwi, such as the Ireland escape I was lucky enough to witness. There are one or two areas where they are markedly superior (basic skills and conditioning are two obvious examples) but there are others where a certain opposition can and do enjoy superiority. Playing to your strengths negates those of the opposition, and often you'll find yourself calling members of your team crap impulsively before realising that it's not all about your team and the opposition have bloody good players that play bloody well at times. Test rugby is a game of inches, and there are literally inches between those top sides. Just watch the Six Nations, Ellis Park's humdingers and most Wales Australia clashes. If one team is flat and another inspired, the flat team is very rarely good enough to win. South Africa, the best RWC side, have a 62% win ratio last time I looked, but even they are susceptible to an ambush like 2011. England don't have a bad record, and France and Australia can come out of nowhere to spoil anyone's party-the Aussies having proven big game temperament here. There have been enough World Cups now for the Celts to have a big influence, with Ireland finally knocking off a big three opponent and Wales making two semis. The islands have taken some big scalps and Italy could very well knock over an off-colour France. All of these are one-off games that turned tournaments on their heads. Pool games flip the draw, knockout games send favourites home early. Not only that, but the teams are so close that drama has been heightened by external factors possibly deciding games. Rugby is a sport where you not only have to be better than the opposition, but you have to be good enough to take these factors out of the equation. But these factors add to the drama, the intrigue, the fairytale. There have only been seven tournaments but they have packed in a lifetime of storylines that have captivated the globe. Who knew one rugby game could unite a country previously so bitterly divided? From gold watches to whistle swallowing refs to TMO calls to sending offs, RWCs have been a neverending source of debate, excuse making, soul searching and glee. But we wouldn't have it any other way. We all live by this sword, we will all die by this sword. Let's just sit back and hope that we don't get the pointy end. Because as I suit up in my silver fern embossed straitjacket next month, I'll always know that it's a great ride. Even if you are the big bad wolf.
QuanTim Leap
Roar Rookie
If the All Blacks win the RWC, back-to-back (a first) and for a 3rd time (a first) and winning next to everything in between (2011-15) (pretty much unheard of for a WC winning squad), would that make them one of the greatest sporting teams in history? That question, of course, is always up for debate. If they accomplish this, it may or may not make them the greatest in all sports, but, we'll all certainly be witnessing greatness unparalleled in Rugby. That, to me, is something worth savoring, whether you're a All Blacks supporter or not.
Harry Jones
Expert
After this RWC, as I eat my biltong in huge handfuls, I will look at the score: SA 3 NZ 2
wardad
Guest
Ahh... maybe the wee green dude is on to something there .Or not .
Digby
Roar Guru
Indeed :)
Taylorman
Guest
It's a fairly common view but I think the romantic thing about rugby, and what we've seen in over 100 years of this game is absolutely anything and everything can happen in that 80 minute spell of heaven on earth, and it does, time and time again. And that's why the ABs can just as easily lose this year. That 80 can suddenly become a very lonely place for some, and a very exciting one for others, no matter who said or did what before the whistle to start the game blows. We kiwis know that only too well.
Taylorman
Guest
Digger... If you don't know what comes after Quadruple...well!
mike wazowski
Guest
I thank you for your sincere and honest response to my brilliant and creative idea.
PeterK
Roar Guru
facetiousness, irony and sarcasm, a lot of people do not know the differences between them
Tigranes
Guest
I would love to see Ireland give this world cup a real shake and make it to the semi finals at least. But I suspect France will top Group D for no other reason that they are certainly capable of it. In 2011, they played excellent when they defeated the Wallabies in Auckland, yet when they got to the quarter finals, they were comprehensively beaten by Wales. But you cant go past NZ winning this...the thing is its bloody hard to win tough games after each other...NZ beat France by 1 point in 2011. Australia beat South Africa in a tough game, and were then comprehensively beaten by NZ in the next game.
BBA
Guest
Just to make sure that I understand you, you dont mind the AB's losing to the Boks (traditional rivals) and teams that we never lose to, or not for over 50 years in Wales case. However other teams that do have a chance of beating us (excluding the Boks) those losses you dont like?
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Yes mike, we clearly need a sarcastic font. What an amazingly good idea. You're a genius. ;)
Mike Julz
Guest
If England doesn't make it out of their pool, then this world cup, mostly for England, is a fail. I can't imagine this WC without Eng in the QF. The amount of support they get, the preparation they have, especially building towards this WC, its a must for them to make it through. Pool A for me is hard to call, Eng could easily miss out, with Wales and Aus going through. But thats just my opinion.
Rebel
Guest
Don't discount Fiji in the pool of death. They are poised for an upset or two with the focus being on other sides in their pool.
Gilbert
Roar Rookie
The world cup is the only leverage other fans are using against the all blacks. What will they say if ABs defend world cup this year?
Digby
Roar Guru
Huh?
PeterK
Roar Guru
a lot of people do not know the difference between the 3 though.
mike wazowski
Guest
Clearly there needs to be a sarcastic font for people to type their sarcastic comments with on the roar, to make them more easily idenifiable. Maybe throw in an ironic font and a facetious font too.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
There's been a bit of that going round on The Roar lately. More so than usual. Obviously facetious comments that are taken too seriously.